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' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. H. BURNHAM & J. H. MILLER.

(No Model.)

WINDMILL TOWER.

Patented Jan. 24, 1893;

V Wi M772 f by (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

w. H. BURNHAM'81; J. H. MILLER.

WI-NDMILL TGWER.

No. 490,267. Patented Jan. 24, 1893.

TN: ucmms PETERS co. wom-Llwow wnsmuarou a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT @EEiQE.

\VILLIAM H. BURNHAM AND JOHN. H. MILLER, OF BATAVIA, ILLINOIS, AS-

SIGNORS TO THE UNITED STATES WIND ENGINE AND PUMP COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WIN DMlLL-TOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,267, dated January 24, 1893.

Application filed September 23, 1891. Serial No. 406,581. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: rious parts together, all as hereinafter speci- Beit known that we, WILLIAM H. BURNHAM fied, constitute the subject matter of our inand JOHN. H. MILLER, citizens of the United vention.

States, residing at Batavia, in the county of In the accompanying drawings, A repre- Kane and State of Illinois, have invented sents the corner angle-iron posts or supports a certain new and useful Improvement in of the tower. Theseangle-iron posts are bent Windmill-Towers, which is fully set forth in to an angle approximating sixty degrees, and the following specification, reference being are preferably of steel-plate metal, formed in hadto the accompanying drawings,in whichthe shape more clearly shown in Fig. 9. We

to Figure 1 is a side elevation of our tower, fasten to the different lengths or sections of complete. Fig. 2, a side elevation of a dethese corner angle-iron posts a short angletached portion of the top of the tower, showiron, D, which we intend to cast of malleable ing a portion of the outside ring cut away. iron, with lugs or cars, E, to which brace-r0ds Fig. 3, a perspective View of one of the angleare secured, as hereinafter specified. This I 5 irons, showing the lugs to which the braceangle-iron is of such shape as to receive on rods are attached. Fig. 4 is a horizontal secits inside the angle-iron posts A, to which they tional View of the tower, taken at the line are securely bolted,as shown. The different 4-4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional sections or lengths of the corner posts are fas- View, taken at the line 55, Fig. 1, looking toned togetherbya splicing angleiron, placed 20 down. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view, on the inside of the corner angle-irons, the taken at the line 6G, Fig. 1, looking up. ends of the corner angle-irons resting against Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the top each other, and are held firmly in place by bolts portion of the tower, taken at the line 7-7, passing through the splicing angle-iron, B.

Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the top 0 are angleiron girts, the ends of which are 25 band of the tower. Fig. 9 is a detached view constructed so as to fit into the inner angle of a portion of the tower, showing the conof the corner angle-iron posts, as clearlyshown nection of the cross-braces. Fig. 10 is a perin Fig. 9; and the bolts, a, which bolt the spective View of aportion of one of the bracein place, pass through the angle-iron posts rods, F, showing the bracketed clamp on the and the angle-irons, D, as clearly shown in 0 brace-rod; and, Fig. 11 is a perspective View the same figure. 8c of the brace-rod iron for holding the brace- F are brace-rods secured to the ears orlugs, rods F in position where they cross. E, on the angle-irons D, by means of nuts, G,

The object of our invention is to make a by which they can be readily tightened or metal tripod wind mill tower, of angle-iron loosened. It will be observed that all of the 5 metal; the corner angle-irons being made in strain that is brought to bear on the corner sections, so that they can be readily trausangle-iron posts A by these brace-rods F is in ported and put together at the place of erecline with orin the same direction as the sides of tion of the tower. To accomplish this purthe angle-iron, and the cross-brace girts G expose, we make the corner angle-irons of plate tend from corner post to corner post of the 40 metal-preferably of steel-platebending the tripod tower, in line with the sides of the ansame to an angle of about sixty degrees, which gle-iron posts, making the strongest form of makes the strongest form of tower, because bracing that can be given to a metal wind the sixty degree angles form the corners of mill tower. an equilateral triangle; all of the strain on H, is a cross angle-iron,bolted to the angle- 5 the sides of the angle-iron corner pieces beiron girts O, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. This ing in line of the plate-metal sides of the corangle-iron H carriesapump-rod guide-block,I. ner angle-iron posts. This block is cast with two openings through A tripod angle-iron tower with the angleit; one opening shown at J, in Fig. l, is of iron posts, with cross-girts, and brace-rods. proper size and shape to receive the angle- 50 and with Various devices for securing the vairon H, while the vertical opening K is the I00 shape of the pump-rod, and admits of the pump rod vibrating vertically through it. This guide-block I is secured to the angleiron H by means of a set-screw, L, which holds it in position. It must he slipped upon the angle-iron H before the angle-iron is bolted to the cross-girts 0.

N is a platform, which is supported upon the ears or lugs, M, that are formed on the angle-iron firmly secured to the post A of the wind mill tower.

The turn-table, O, of the wind mill is cast or formed in such shape as to fit into the angles of the corner posts, and it has at its upper end a flange, P, which rests on the top of the corner angle-iron posts A of the tower. This turn-table 0 also projects between the corner angle-iron posts, which projections are shown at b, and they have also lateral projections, 0, which fit in notches in the edge of the corner posts A, so that the turn-table is held by these lateral projections firmly between the upper ends of the angle-iron corner posts of the tower. WVc provide a band, Q, with downwardly projecting ears or lugs, R, which band fits over the outside of the upper ends of the corner angle-iron posts A, holding them firmly against the turn-table O; and this band is held in place bybending the ears or lugs R under the projections, 19, of the turn-table, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, at S. The turn-table is thus securely held in place between the upper ends of the angle-iron posts A, and locked vertically, and the upper ends of the corner posts are also securely held in place and locked to the turn-table, so that the weight of the mill will not disconnect them from the turn-table, but be solidly supported on the corner posts.

The lower ends of the corner angle-iron posts A are supported on foot-posts U, which are formed of angle-irons, bent at about an angle approximating ninety degrees, but whose sides at the upper end are bent inwardly to an angle of about sixty degrees, thus forming a shoulder. The upper end of these foot-posts being bent inwardly to approximate an angle of about sixty degrees, the lower ends of the corner angle-iron posts A slip over them, and rest on the shoulder formed where their sides are bent inwardly. The bolts 6 are passed through them to hold the corner angle-iron posts A securely in place on the footposts, but the weight of the wind mill and tower does not rest entirely on these bolts, but partly on the shoulders formed, as above described, on the foot-posts, making a much more secure and stronger support than has heretofore been made. The brace-rods, F, cross each other, and in order to strengthen them and keep them firmly in position, we

make two way cross-pipes, g, which serve as center ties for tying the rods together and strengthening them. These center ties must be slipped upon the brace-rods F before they are secured in position on the tower.

It is desirable to havea suitable stop or catch to hold the lever with which the wind mill is thrown out of gear, and we have devised a suitable stop for holding said lever. In Fig. 1 the lever is represented by h. The stop or catch 2' is slipped upon one of the brace-rods F, and secured in position by a set-screwy iVhen the lever is thrown down to turn the wheel out of wind, it is swung under the project-ing arm of the lever stop 2'. We have in this device a very simple lever-stop, which can be readily applied to our iron wind mill.

We were unable to find any rolling mills prepared to roll angle-iron sixty degrees, when we first commenced to manufacture our tripod wind mill tower, and upon investigation we are convinced that we were the first to have metal plate rolled at an angle of sixty degrees, suitable for making such tower as we have above described. We find it very important to have the angle of the corner post angle-irons about sixty degrees, which enables us to have the strain of the braces of said angle-iron corner posts in line with the web or sides of the angle-iron posts, making a very strong tower from light material.

We have been able, by the manufacture of new machinery, to provide ourselves with angle-iron corner posts bent at an angle of about sixty degrees, which enables us to made our tripod wind mill tower. We also make the center clips, with which we tie the bracerods together firmly where they cross each other, by making the holes for the rods pass by each other, which causes the brace-rods, when tightened, to bend in slightly at the pro jecting ends of the center tie, thereby binding them in position and holding them firmly in place. We find that this construction of the center ties makes the rods perfectly tight in the center ties, although the hole through which the brace-rod passes may be a little larger in diameter than the brace-rod itself.

Having fully described the construction and operation of ourinvention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. .In a wind mill tower, the angle-iron corner-posts A; the angle-iron brace-girts C, having beveled ends which fit together within the angles of the angle-iron posts; the brace-rod irons D, fitting on the outside of the angle-iron posts and provided with lugs E; the bolts a, bolting the brace-girts O, and angle-iron posts, and the brace-rod irons together; and the brace-rods F adj ustably secured to the lugs E whereby the angle-iron corner-posts, angleiron brace-girts, and brace-rods all co-operate through the instrumentality of the brace-rod irons, as specified.

2. In a wind mill tower constructed substantially as specified, the angle iron bracegirts O; the angle-iron H extending between the brace girts and attached thereto; the pump-rod guide-block I, having two openings, one angular in form to fit upon the cross-angle iron H, and the other of the shape of a pumprod, the guide-block being adjustable on the cross angle-iron H with means for securing it at any desired position; and the pump-rod; all substantially as specified.

3. In a wind mill tower, the corner angleiron posts A, the turn-table 0, supported on their upper ends and locked to the posts, and the band-iron Q, for holding the upper ends of the corner angle-iron posts firmly in place against the turn-table, as specified.

4. In a wind mill tower, the combination of the brace-rods F, the lever-stop z, adapted to be secured to one of the brace-rods F, and the lever 71, substantially as specified.

5. In a wind mill tower, constructed substantially as specified, the combination of the brace-rods F, and the center tie g, for tying 'WILLIAM H. BURNHAM. J OHN. H. MILLER.

Witnesses:

T. W. SNOW, C. D. WALWORTH. 

